Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is an illness affecting many Americans. Depression is typically associated with SAD about half of the time. According to Psychology Today, “”Seasonal affective disorder is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. Another 10 percent to 20 percent may have mild SAD…many people with SAD report at least one close relative with a psychiatric disorder, most frequently a severe depressive disorder (55 percent) or alcohol abuse (34 percent).??/p>

While we’re normally sharing about TMS Therapy and the exciting results our patients have achieved (upwards of an 80% reduction in symptoms), TMS isn’t for everyone. TMS therapy is only indicated for treatment-resistant depression, meaning insurance only pays for MDD treatment when there have been four failures of medication, sometimes as low as two failed medications.

For many others suffering lower levels of depression, there are other solutions. Here are seven tips from Shelby Deering?? ??omfort kit??referenced in her article “”Fight Off Seasonal Depression with These 7 Affordable Essentials.”” We hope these help you cope with what remains of winter.

1. Daily nature sessions, ranging from walks to forest bathing
2. Warm and cozy cold-weather accessories
3. Epsom salt bath
4. Daily light box therapy
5. Caring for houseplants
6. A somewhat full social calendar…just don’t overdo it
7. Meditation (yeah, there?? an app for that)